What 1940s Movie Am I? Quiz | Movies by Year

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. I am a 1942 movie set in a country in North Africa during World War II. Michael Curtiz directed the story of an American bar owner who is torn between helping the woman he loves - and her husband - escape safely so the husband can continue his fight against the Nazis, or sending him off alone, keeping his lady love with him. What movie am I?

Answer: Casablanca

"Casablanca" starred Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine, Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund, Paul Henreid as Victor Laszlo, Claude Raines as Captain Renault, Peter Lorre as Ugarte, and Dooley Wilson as Sam.

The film was based on a play titled 'Everybody Comes To Rick's", and the 1931 song "As Time Goes By" was made popular by the movie.

"Casablanca" won three Academy Awards: Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay. It received five other nominations: Humphrey Bogart for Best Actor, Claude Rains for Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing and Best Musical Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. It is ranked at Number 3 on the AFI's "100 Years... 100 Movies" list in 2007. One of the most famous quotes from the movie is from Rick: "You played it for her, you can play it for me... if she can stand it I can! Play it!" (Note: Neither Rick nor Ilse ever said, "Play it again, Sam.")

2. I am a 1942 movie directed by Michael Curtiz. I tell the story of "The Man Who Owns Broadway" - George M Cohan. What movie am I?

Answer: Yankee Doodle Dandy

"Yankee Doodle Dandy" starred James Cagney as George M Cohan, Joan Leslie as Mary and Walter Huston as Jerry Cohan. The film tells the life story of George M Cohan, from the days when he was a child star up until the U.S. President gave him a medal for his contributions to the U.S. Cohan wrote and starred in musicals; he was a director, a producer and song-writer. He wrote such songs as "Give My Regards to Broadway", "Over There", and "The Yankee Doodle Boy".

James Cagney was nominated for an Academy Award three times and won his Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

3. I am a 1940 animated movie from the Walt Disney Studio. I am the third Disney feature-length production to be made. Classical music is featured in me, and most pieces are played by the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski. What movie am I?

Answer: Fantasia

Altogether "Fantasia" has eight separate animated parts, each set to a classical piece of music. "Fantasia" featured such well known classics as "The Sorcerers Apprentice" where Mickey Mouse, as the apprentice, has a big problem with some brooms and buckets of water; "The Dance of the House" featuring those wonderful hippos in tutus, plus ostriches, elephants and alligators; and "The Night on Bald Mountain."

More than 500 characters appeared in the film and approximately 1,000 artists and technicians were employed in its production. In the American Film Institute's 1998 edition of "100 Years... 100 Movies", "Fantasia" ranked as Number 58.

4. I am a 1944 movie based on a novel by Enid Bagnold. I tell the story of a young girl in England who wins a horse in a raffle. What movie am I?

Answer: National Velvet

"National Velvet" starred the very young Elizabeth Taylor as Velvet Brown, Donald Crisp as Mr Brown, Angela Lansbury as Edwina Brown, and Mickey Rooney as Mi Taylor. Young Velvet Brown wins a very spirited horse named The Pie and Mi Taylor, an ex-jockey, helps her train the horse to run in the Grand National Steeplechase. Because the hired jockey changes his mind about riding The Pie, Velvet disguises herself as a boy, and of course wins.

The part of Velvet Brown was originally given to Gene Tierney, but because of delays she did not take the role. The Pie was given to Elizabeth Taylor as a birthday present when the film was finished.

The film won two Oscars in 1945: Best Supporting Actress and Best Film Editing. The film was made into a TV series in 1960.

5. I am a 1945 movie based on a novel by James M Cain, and I was directed by Michael Curtiz. I tell the story of a woman whose husband leaves her for another woman and of her struggle to become successful in spite of her very spoiled daughter. What movie am I?

Answer: Mildred Pierce

"Mildred Pierce" starred Joan Crawford in the title role, Jack Carson as Wally Fay, Zachary Scott as Monte Beragon, Eve Arden as Ida Corwin, and Ann Blyth as Veda Pierce.

At the 1946 Academy Awards, Joan Crawford won Best Actress in a Leading Role. The film was nominated for five other Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Ann Blyth; Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Eve Arden; Best Black-and-White Cinematography; Best Picture; and Best Screenplay.

"Mildred Pierce" has also been made into a five-part TV miniseries starring Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce.

6. I am a 1941 movie and am considered to be the best American motion picture of all time. I tell the story of a newspaper magnate. What movie am I?

Answer: Citizen Kane

"Citizen Kane" was loosely based on American newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst and Chicago businessmen Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick. It tells the story of newspaper reporters trying to find out the meaning of the last word spoken by the character Charles Foster Kane - "Rosebud."

Orson Welles both directed and starred in "Citizen Kane". The movie also starred Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore and Agnes Moorehead. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards in 1941 but only won one Oscar, for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Orson Welles and Herman J Mankiewicz. In 2011 Mankiewicz's Oscar was sold at auction for over $861,000.

On the American Film Institute's "100 Years... 100 Movies" "Citizen Kane" is ranked Number 1.

7. I am a 1944 musical movie directed by Vincente Minnelli. I tell the story of the Smith Family and their four daughters and one son. I am set in 1904 at the time of the World's Fair. What movie am I?

Answer: Meet Me in St Louis

"Meet Me in St Louis" starred Judy Garland as Esther Smith, Margaret O'Brien as Tootie Smith, Mary Astor as Mrs Anna Smith, Lucille Bremer as Rose Smith, Leon Ames as Mr Alonzo Smith, Tom Drake as John, and Marjorie Main as Katie the maid. Joan Carroll played second-youngest daughter Agnes and Henry H. Daniels, Jr. played Lon Smith Jr.

The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Music, Song for the now famous "Trolley Song". On the American Film Institute's list of the "Greatest Movie Musicals", the film was ranked at Number 10.

8. I am a 1948 movie based on an 1838 novel by Charles Dickens. I tell the story of an orphan boy in London and the "bad company" he falls in with. What movie am I?

Answer: Oliver Twist

"Oliver Twist" starred Robert Newton as Bill Sykes, Alec Guinness as Fagin, Kay Walsh as Nancy, Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger, and John Howard Davies as Oliver Twist. This film ranks at Number 46 on the British Film Institute's list of the "Top 100 British Films."

"Oliver Twist" has been remade several times, including a musical version, "Oliver!", in 1968, starring Ron Moody as Fagin, Shani Wallis as Nancy, Oliver Reed as Bill Sykes, Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger, and Mark Lester as Oliver Twist. This production was nominated for 11 and won five Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, and Best Sound.

9. I am a 1946 movie directed by William Wyler. I tell the story of three servicemen returning to the U.S. after World War II and the difficulties they face. One of them had lost both of his hands. What movie am I?

Answer: The Best Years of Our Lives

"The Best Years of Our Lives" starred Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Russell.

The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won seven: Best Motion Picture; Best Director; Best Actor (Fredric March); Best Writing (Screenplay); Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell); Best Film Editing; Best Music (Score), and Harold Russell also won an Honorary Award "for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans through his appearance." This film also won two Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA Award.

Harold Russell, who played the veteran who had lost his hands, was not a professional actor. He actually lost his hands when a defective fuse detonated an explosion when he was making a training film whilst he was an Army instructor in the 13th Airborne Division.

10. I am a 1944 movie directed by Billy Wilder, and co-written by Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder. I am based on a 1935 novel of the same name written by James M Cain. I tell the story of an insurance salesman and a housewife he meets when renewing an insurance policy, who wants her husband dead. What movie am I?

Answer: Double Indemnity

"Double Indemnity" starred Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G Robinson. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Best Director and Best Actress, but did not win any. On the American Film Institute's list of "100 Years... 100 Movies" in 2007, "Double Indemnity" was ranked at Number 29.

The author of the book, James M Cain, based his story on a true murder that occurred in 1927 where a woman persuaded her boyfriend to kill her husband after taking out an insurance policy with a "double indemnity" clause.

Source: Author wenray

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor jmorrow before going online.
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What 1940s Movie Am I? Trivia Quiz

During the 1940s more colour movies were being made and Hollywood was entering into its "Golden Age". I am now asking the question "What 1940s Movie Am I?"

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